A Hiker (Japanese: やまおとこMountaineer) is a type of Pokémon Trainer that first debuted in the Generation I games. They appear as large, bearded men carrying a walking stick and hiking gear. In the first two generations, they appear to be wearing a hard hat for protection. On the following generations, they wear a hat more associated with alpinists instead, and also carry a large backpack.

They specialize in a combination of Fighting-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokémon that are common in mountains and caves, such as Onix, Machop, and Geodude, although not all of them exclusively train those types.

Pokémon

On hand

Rhyhorn

A Hiker's Rhyhorn made a brief appearance in Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden where it battled Ash and his Bulbasaur. Rhyhorn goes for a Take Down hurting it badly and creating a lump on Bulbasaur's head. Bulbasaur nearly faints and Ash tries to recall it but Bulbasaur does not want to. It uses Razor Leaf and then a Vine Whip fainting Rhyhorn in the end.

Other appearances

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Hiker Andy in Pokémon Adventures

Hiker Andy makes an appearance in Black's First Trainer Battle where he accepts a challenge from beginning Trainer Black. They have a Triple Battle but due to the heat emitted from Black's Tep, Andy gets overheated and runs away to cool himself down with water. When Andy comes back, he becomes disheartened upon finding his Pokémon already defeated by Black. Disappointed, he decides that he should quit being a Trainer, a decision that Black is shocked to hear. Andy reveals to Black that when he was younger he wanted to challenge the Pokémon League but due to his weakness to heat, he kept losing battles and eventually decided to quit being a Trainer altogether.

The leftover flames from the battle caused the whole field to catch ablaze. With Andy's help, Black is able to put all of the flames out. Black tells Andy that it was his Cottonee that caused the fire because it was trying to help its Trainer by attempting to get over its weakness to Fire-type moves. Feeling happy over what his Pokémon would do for him, Andy is convinced by Black to start his dream once again.

Andy later appears at the Pokémon League alongside several other Trainers to help battle Team Plasma.

Pokémon

Blitzle ♂

Blitzle was used against Black on Route 1. He put up a good fight at first, but was eventually defeated after Andy became dehydrated and had to leave the battle.

Cottonee was used against Black on Route 1. He put up a good fight at first, but was eventually defeated after Andy became dehydrated. Andy initially assumed that because of his many losses, Cottonee didn't like him anymore and was avoiding him. However, it was revealed that Cottonee was only trying to get over his weakness to fire for his Trainer.